A Little Too Hard
by McMerlark
Summary: Tim feels crap, but why doesn't anyone notice? One-shot!


**Author's Note:** Hi guys, this is my second NCIS fanfic, and I hope you guys all like it! Just a wee one shot thingy that I have been working on for a while, just haven't had the time to post it. Oh, and this has no beta, so any mistakes are mine, and I will do my best to fix them! Here we go!

**Disclaimer**- Sadly, I don't own any of the characters, but if I did, who knows what might happen? More Tim and Tony scenes for sure! So, no characters are mine, blah blah blah!

**A little too hard- A McMerlark FanFiction**

The bright morning sun woke up Tim, the small crack of light shining brightly on his sweat drenched face. Groaning, McGee sat up in bed and looked around. His covers were damp and warm, and the sun was making his head sore. He winced as sharp pains spread through his head, and slumped back down onto his bed.

"When did this start to happen?" He thought back to the previous week. A case had come up, and Gibbs was riding them hard all week to find the missing son of one Petty Officer Tom Richards. The case relied heavily on McGee and his computer skills, meaning that sleep, let alone food, was out of the question most of the time. This was the first time they had been let home in the past few days, Ducky reading the riot act before Gibbs let them leave, with strict instructions to be back for 0800. He hadn't been feeling very well the other day, Tony making sure to tell him many times that he looked like crap. Sleep obviously didn't help him much.

He wiped his hand across his head.

"It feels really hot", he murmured to himself. "I've probably just caught the cold, heaven knows my lack of sleep won't have helped."

He sat up again, taking it slowly this time so as not to cause further pain to his head. He looked across at his alarm clock and realising the time, got up suddenly. 0734. It was at least 30 minute drive from his house in Silver Springs to NCIS.

"Gibbs is not going to be happy," he thought worriedly.

His head groaned in protest but he forced himself on. He got changed quickly, had a quick drink of water and some aspirin and grabbed his gun and badge from his dresser. There was absolutely no time for food, him already being 10 minutes late. Not too bad on a good day, but with the rate this case was going at, there wasn't going to be another good day for a long time. Jethro looked on confused, his leash hanging from his mouth.

"Sorry, boy, no walk for you today. Rowan will be along later to give you a walk, I promise." Tim shouted to his dog as he ran for the door. Honestly, Jethro would be a very hyper dog if he didn't have the young Scottish girl from next door walking Jethro will he was at work. She actually reminded him a lot of Ducky, rambling about school or the latest Xbox game whenever he paid her. Locking the door in place, he turned quickly and almost collapsed from the sudden pressure in his head. Pushing off the wall, he slowly started towards the lift, glad that the landlord had finally got it fixed. With the state he was in, he wouldn't have trusted himself to actually make it down the stairs unharmed.

Pushing open the double doors, he winced. The sun shone harshly, making the pain in his head even more prominent. It felt like someone was drilling into his head before he went outside. That driller that was there earlier had clearly been joined by his drilling buddies, and a few orchestras. He got into his car and sighed. He could tell, today was not going to be a good day.

-"Where's McGee?" asked Gibbs as he walked into the bull-pen.

"Don't know boss, he hasn't come in yet," replied Tony getting up from his desk. "I called his mobile and no-one answered".

"I have called his house phone with no reply either Gibbs" Ziva said.

Just as Gibbs turned around to face Ziva, a ding came from the lift. A pale and sweat covered McGee came out, wincing at the bright lights in the bullpen. The team could clearly see that he was not feeling well. He had dark purple bags under his eyes, he was shaking and his skin was shiny with sweat.

"Sorry I'm late Boss; my alarm clock didn't go off." McGee, offered, hoping Gibbs would let him off. That was not to be the case, even with his sickly appearance. As soon he McGee got to his desk, Gibbs let it rip.

"How could you be so late McGee? Don't you care about this case?"

"Of course I do Boss…"

"Well, if you did, you would have been here early, like everyone else! I'm disappointed McGee! It better never happen again, or you'll be suspended so hard, you won't know what hit you!" shouted Gibbs, and with that he was gone. McGee was shocked. Gibbs had never shouted at him so fiercely before. With a deflated sigh, he sat at his desk, glad that he was off his feet. Gibbs' tirade had not helped his pounding head one bit, and he was not going to be able to get any relief from it with DiNozzo around.

"Huh-ho Probie, the Boss is certainly not happy with you!" DiNozzo called across the Bullpen.

"Ram it DiNozzo, can you not see he's not feeling well?" Ziva stood up and walked over to McGee's desk. "Are you alright, McGee?"

Before he could reply, DiNozzo cut him off.

"Firstly, Ziva it's can it, not ram it, and of course I can! But with Gibbs in a mood like this he needs to man up a little!"

Astounded at Tony's words, Tim replied in a quiet voice to Ziva.

"I'm fine Ziva, but thanks for asking." Ziva gave a small, supportive smile and headed back to her desk. He's better start working, or Gibbs really would suspend him.

Two hours later, and McGee still had nothing. Ziva and DiNozzo had been shooting him looks all day, Ziva's concerned and Tony's… Well, not so concerned. He hadn't stopped making jibs at his sickly appearance all day. His head had not stopped pounding since he had been there, and the bright computer screen was not helping at all. His typing had slowed substantially, the pain pounding against his skull with every clack of the keys. Gibbs had not returned from earlier on, making McGee worry.

"What would he do if he came looking for answers, but I had none?" He thought to himself. He tried to work harder, but before he could get anywhere, Gibbs turned the corner. "Oh crap."

"What have you got?" asked an angry Gibbs. From his point of view, they should have wrapped up this case days ago.

"I have been looking through all of Petty Officer Richards Gibbs, but nothing looks unusual. His income is normal, no unusual money coming from anywhere." Ziva stated, looking up briefly from her computer to tell him of her findings. "I have been also looking into his wife's bank accounts…"

"Which also looks normal Boss." DiNozzo said, cutting off Ziva as usual. "I checked with all of his co- workers, who all have alibis for the time of the kidnapping."

"McGee, what do you have?"

"Nothing yet Boss, but I've been searching…"

"What do you mean NOTHING McGee?" Gibbs roared. "I need you to find me something!"

"I know, and I'm sorry boss but…" McGee tried to explain why, but Gibbs cut him off again. His headache had reached its maximum level of pain since this whole ordeal began, and he was having trouble to not wince with every word that Gibbs threw at him.

"I can't believe you don't have anything McGee! What did I tell you?" he shouted as he gave Tim the biggest head slap he has ever had in his life. McGee's head exploded with pain. Black spots covered his vision, and he could barely hear Gibbs ranting and raving. He stood up, meaning to go to the bathroom, but the world suddenly went black and he collapsed with a grunt. Gibbs paid no-notice to his agents' distress, until Ziva ran across the room towards McGee. The command for Ziva to get back to her desk was just on his lips, until he noticed her brisk pace. Only then did he realise what had happened.

"Get Ducky!" Ziva shouted. "Now!"

Gibbs was stunned. His hand had done this to his agent? He had seen just how sick he looked this morning, but he didn't even stop shouting at him to ask if he was alright. What kind of boss was he? He thought of himself as a father figure to his agents, but he couldn't focus on anything but the case. He bought back harshly into reality by Ducky, Palmer and Abby rushing towards them.

"Oh my gosh, what happened to Timmy?" Abby shouted, kneeling next to Tim.

"Gibbs wacked him over the head in his Gibbs-like way, and he just fainted!" DiNozzo replied looking concerned.

"That was not how it went Tony." Ziva admonished. "He had not been feeling well all morning Ducky, sweating and wincing at loud noises."

"Oh my dear Timothy. It sounds as if he has been suffering from a severe migraine. Has anyone seen him drink at all this morning?" Ducky asked the group. A resounding no came from all of them. Timothy didn't rouse through his questioning.

"Well, I do not think an ambulance is required, but he does need some well-deserved sleep. Anthony, if you please?" he asked, motioning for Tony to help him move Tim to the lift.

"He should be perfectly comfortable on Abby's futon. Abigail, if you could set it up for him please?"

"Of course Ducky. Are… are you sure he's going to be okay?" she answered, worry creeping in to her voice.

"I'm sure he will fine with some rest my dear." Ducky replied, pressing the number for Abby's lab. Stopping at the lab's level, Abby rushed around getting everything ready for her precious geek. Ducky and Tony helped him lie down, and Palmer returned form Autopsy after grabbing some migraine medicine from their cupboard. McGee. Through all the franticness, didn't move.

"All Timothy needs is a bit of peace and quiet," Ducky said, looking at them. "That means go!"

"Of course Ducky."

"Right, Duckman."

"Sure"

The team filed out of the room, trying, unsuccessfully to stay quiet. Gibbs, unsurprisingly, stayed behind. He looked at the sleeping form of Tim with a worried glance. How had he missed this? Ducky, reading his thoughts as always, replied in place of McGee.

"Knowing Tim, Jethro, he will have hid his pain very well. If anyone is to blame, it is him for not telling you."

"I shouldn't have ridden him so hard Duck," Gibbs sighed in exasperation.

"How were you to know he was not feeling well?" Ducky questioned. "All he needs is rest, Jethro, and he will be back on his feet in no time at all."

Ducky left Gibbs to ponder this, and left the sleeping agent in his, hopefully, quiet care.

Hours later, Tim woke up on Abby's comfy futon. Gibbs was sitting in the corner, quietly reading, and he could see Abby through the glass, dancing to her music through her headphones. He was glad, since he didn't think his head could take it.

Gibbs, seeing that he had woken asked, "Tim, you're awake."

Tim was even feeling better than he had been feeling in a long time, but even a healthy man would be worried when Gibbs called them by their first name. Maybe it was the sore head talking, but he couldn't be bothered with waiting and finding out later, so he just came out and said it.

"Tim? You never call me Tim. Why are you being nice?"

Gibbs was shocked, but not surprised. He'd been expecting the question, but obviously not until Tim was feeling a lot better. He sighed. This was gonna be a hard conversation.

"Tim, I screwed up. I could tell you weren't feeling well, but I didn't care. All I cared about was finding the girl, and I didn't care if you were feeling a bit under the weather. But you kept going, trying to keep me happy, and Tim, I am so damn proud. I do care about you Tim, and I know what my rules say, but Tim, I am sorry."

McGee was shocked. Not only was that the most he had ever heard Gibbs speak in one go, but he had apologised as well. Was he still dreaming? Suddenly, it all got to him. The whole week, the pain, the apology from Gibbs, it was too much. Tears welled up in his eyes as he began to sob. Some part of his brain registered that this was embarrassing, but he couldn't seem to stop. To his surprise, Gibbs pulled him into a hug.

"Sorry Gibbs," he stuttered, wiping his tears quickly with the back of his sleeve.

Gibbs gently slapped him on the back of the head, and said, "Just because I broke rule 6 doesn't mean you can." Tim laughed, tears still streaming down his face.

"It's fine Gibbs, I forgive you. I should have said something." Ducky, having wandered up to check on his ill patient smiled at that: he was glad that some of the team was back to normal. Dealing with the rest, that could wait for another day, and he was positive there would be a happy ending to come.


End file.
